Stephen N. Collins
Millville – 9/28/08
Being the Church
How to Survive Life’s Storms
Scripture: Acts 27
Icebreaker: Good news, bad news for a pastor:
Good News: You baptized seven people today in the river.
Bad News: You lost two of them in the swift current.
Good News: The Women’s Guild voted to send you a get-well card.
Bad News: The vote passed by 31-30.
Good News: The Elder Board accepted your job description the way you wrote it.
Bad News: They were so inspired by it, they also formed a search committee to find somebody capable of filling the position.
Good News: You finally found a choir director who approaches things exactly the same way you do.
Bad News: The choir mutinied.
Good News: Mrs. Jones is wild about your sermons.
Bad News: Mrs. Jones is also wild about the "Gong Show," "Beavis and Butthead" and "Texas Chain Saw Massacre."
Good News: The trustees finally voted to add more church parking.
Bad News: They are going to blacktop the front lawn of your parsonage.
Good News: Church attendance rose dramatically the last three weeks.
Bad News: You were on vacation.
Good News: Your biggest critic just left your church.
Bad News: He has been appointed the Head Bishop of your denomination.
Good News: The youth in your church come to your house for a surprise visit.
Bad News: It’s in the middle of the night and they are armed with toilet paper and shaving cream to "decorate" your house.
Received from MWoneis.
Intro: Recently, the people of Galveston, Texas were devastated by a storm that blew in (Hurricane Ike).
-Bad things happen, even to the best of us. So why do bad things happen to good people? When we’re doing everything we can to live for God and do right, why do things still go wrong? --
-Why do we face storms even when we’re going in the right direction? These are universal questions, because we’ve all faced storms in our lives, even when we were living completely for God. So to close our journey together through the book of Acts, let’s look at 4 possible reasons you may be experiencing a storm and 3 things you can do about it.
(Read Acts 27 and Pray)
4 Possible Reasons for Life’s Storms
1. Satanic Opposition
Illustration: Two 6 year olds struggled with the problem of the existence of the devil. One boy said, "Oh, there isn’t any devil." The other, rather upset, said, "What do you mean, there isn’t any devil? It talks about him all the way through the Bible!" the first replied, "Oh I don’t know. I bet you he’s just like Santa Clause, you know, in the end, it turns out to be your dad."
G. Lewis, Demon Possession, ed. J. Montgomery.
Questions: Now, obviously that’s a cute little joke, but in all seriousness, what’s your perspective on Satan? When you find yourself in a storm, do you ever stop to consider the possibility that you may be under attack from the enemy?
Main Point: I wish I could tell you that Satan doesn’t ever mess with things in our lives. But if I told you that, I’d be lying. Sometimes, Satanic opposition is the reason for the storm we find ourselves in.
“In Paul’s letter to the Romans he said that he had tried many time to go to Rome and had been prevented, hindered. Paul always said it was Satan who had put those hindrances in his path. The enemy did not want Paul in Rome, for that was the strategic center of the empire and also the very headquarters of evil. Satan did not want this mighty apostle, coming in the strength and power of a risen Lord, to move into this city and start breaking down the strongholds of darkness by which Satan held in grip the entire civilized world. So Satan delayed Paul every way he could, fighting every step of the way.”
(Ray Stedman, Triumphs of the Body.)
-So if Paul was susceptible to the enemy’s attacks, couldn’t we be, too? And if you notice, what was the nature of the storm the enemy brought against Paul? It was a storm that tried to prevent him from fulfilling his potential for Christ. Think about what that must have done to Paul. It had to be a storm that discouraged, depressed, and probably angered Paul. If you’re going through a storm that is hindering your walk with God, guess what? It may very well be an attack from the enemy.
Quote
“That this world is a playground instead of a battleground had now been accepted in practice by the vast majority…of Christians.”
-A.W. Tozer
-Satanic opposition is real. Now, some people are a little overzealous in their notion of Satanic opposition. They seem to believe that any little thing that goes wrong…if they get a flat tire, if they have to wait in a long line at McDonald’s, etc…that it is the work of Satan coming against them. These people can make themselves paranoid with every circumstance they face.
-So let’s clear that up this morning. Not every bad thing that happens to you in your life is the work of the enemy.
- It is most definitely a possibility, but even though Satanic opposition is real, we need to remember that nothing can touch a child of God that hasn’t already passed through God’s hands.
2. So that God can work through us.
Illustration: On May 17, 2008, Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his family suffered a devastating loss. Five-year-old adopted daughter, Maria, was struck and killed when Chapman’s seventeen-year-old son was backing his SUV out of the family’s driveway. After much prayer and counsel, Chapman recently returned to touring in promotion for his newest album. Elizabeth Diffin, a freelance reporter, attended one of Chapman’s concerts and writes about the experience:
It’s not often you leave a concert reflecting on the words of a song by a different artist. But as I exited the July 24, 2008, Steven Curtis Chapman event, the words of a Matt Redman worship song echoed through my head. Chapman opened the concert with "Blessed Be Your Name" just two months after the death of his 5-year-old daughter, Maria Sue, in a tragic accident at the family’s home.
"Blessed Be Your Name" was also the first song Chapman sang May 21, the day of Maria’s death, when he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to sing again. Inspired by the story of Job, at one point the lyrics repeat, "He gives and takes away."
"As I sang this song … it wasn’t a song, it was a cry, a scream, a prayer," Chapman explained to the audience of nearly 5,000. "I found an amazing comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding."
Questions: An unbelievable tragedy, to be sure. But did you notice the impact Chapman’s response to his storm on the reporter? Have you ever noticed how some of the people God has used most to minister to us are the people who have been through some of the toughest storms?
Main Point: You know, God could have canceled Paul’s shipwreck. He could have caused it to not happen, but He didn’t. Why?
-Maybe because He wanted to use Paul to touch the lives of the other 275 people on board that ship. Think about the impact Paul must have had on Julius, the soldiers, and all the other passengers who didn’t know who Jesus was.
-When we are in the midst of a storm, it’s hard to think that God may be using the storm to prepare us for something in the future, but we have to remember this. If we don’t consider this possibility, we run the risk of losing hope and becoming bitter.
-What I’d like to suggest to you today is that the reason for the storm you’re in may be so that God can work through you.
-See, when we’re grieving the loss of a loved one, it is difficult to wrestle with the notion that God may be preparing us to help a close friend who will experience the same thing one day.
-When we are diagnosed with a disease and forced to undergo grueling treatments, the last thing on our minds is how God could use our experience to comfort the person in our church who will face the same disease next year.
-When our marriage is on the rocks, it’s hard to think that maybe the trouble we’re going through will help a young couple a few years down the road.
-But can you imagine the change that would take place in our attitudes if we started seriously considering the possibility of our current storms preparing us to be used to help someone else that will need us someday?
Our storms can prepare us to help someone else get through theirs!
3. To deepen our maturity.
Main Point: Another possibility we experience storms could be to allow God to deepen our maturity.
-Maybe there are some lessons we need to learn that only a storm or a shipwreck can teach us. As strong in faith as Paul was, there were still areas in his life that needed testing and proving.
-You know, throughout our childhoods, a lot of times the hardest experiences we went through were the ones that most helped us to mature into capable, responsible adults. Many times, it’s the same way in our spiritual lives.
Questions: Can you honestly say that you’ve arrived in every area of life? Could you still have some growing to do?
-None of us have arrived. We all can still grow in our faith, in our spiritual maturity. And sometimes, a storm is just what we need to prod us to spiritually “grow up” a little bit.
4. Because we live in a fallen world.
Illustration: The senseless killings of 9/11, the recent bombing of the Marriott in Pakistan…these tragedies have no reason. Some, after 9/11, were calling it “God’s judgment against America.” I’m not comfortable saying that.
Questions: So then, why do things like this happen? Even in our day-to-day lives, why do storms come?
Main Point: Perhaps the most appropriate answer to that age-old question is that, simply, we live in a fallen world. And as such, bad things are going to happen to bad people, and bad things are going to happen to good people and vice versa.
-The Bible focus isn’t what causes pain or why it’s allowed. In fact, the Bible is relevant to our lives because it is clear in assuming that pain and heartache will come. The Bible’s focus though, is teaching us the best ways to respond to trouble when it does come.
The greatest question we can ask is not “why did this happen?” The greatest question we can ask is “how can I be like Jesus in my response to this?”
3 Anchors that Help Us Weather Life’s Storms
1. The Anchor of God’s Presence. (Vs. 22-26)
-Listen to what Paul said about God’s presence in the midst of the storm they faced:
Scripture: Acts 27:22-26
“But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24and said, ’Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”
Main Point: Twice Paul told his shipmates not to be discouraged. Why? Because God is with them and He has promised not to let them perish. Nothing is more terrifying than facing danger alone. But with the realization of God’s presence comes renewed confidence and courage.
-Does God’s presence then, mean that the storm will quickly end. Not necessarily. God didn’t promise the storm would end, only that his presence would see them through it. In fact, Luke tells us that it wasn’t until the 14th night of the storm that the crew first got a glimpse of God’s promised island.
God has never promised that He will make storms end, only that He will see us through them!
2. The Anchor of Practical Encouragement. (Vs. 33-37)
Scripture: Acts 27: 33-37
“Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head." 35After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37Altogether there were 276 of us on board.”
Illustration: The recently released movie, Prince Caspian, was the second major motion picture produced by Walden Media & Disney based upon the writings of C.S. Lewis. The success of these films is reflective of Lewis’ brilliant ability to write fiction. In addition to his literary skills, Lewis was also quite adept at writing notes of encouragement. When his friend J.R.R. Tolkien was writing about Hobbits, Lewis was the only one who saw merit in his work. Several times he gave up on the whole idea of his Middle-earth fantasy, but Lewis prodded him on. Each time Tolkien stopped writing, Lewis would say, "Tollers, where’s the next chapter? You can’t give up now." Tolkien later noted his friend’s encouragement when he wrote in a letter, "The unspeakable debt I owe him cannot be fathomed. For long, he was my only audience." Movies like Prince Caspian remind us that were it not for encouragement, theatres would have never shown the epic series, Lord of the Rings, and the literary world would be missing Tolkien’s crowning achievement. Simple encouragement has the potential of unleashing enormous power.
Today’s Christian, May/June 2008, p.10
Questions: How many times has a storm in your life been made a little bit more bearable by the encouragement of a friend?
Main Point: Think about the astounding scene in Acts 27. 276 cold, wet, survivors calmly eating in the midst of a hurricane at sea! What has hanged? Not their circumstances, but their attitude. Paul’s continually and confident encouragement has brought about a whole new perspective, one that is firmly anchored by Paul’s confident trust in the Lord.
3. The Anchor of Absolute Faith. (Vs. 39-40)
Scripture: Acts 27:39-40
“When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.”
Illustration: A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:
"Is anyone up there?"
"I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?"
"Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hang on much longer."
"That’s all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch."
A moment of pause, then: "Is anyone else up there?"
Bits & Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 3.
Questions: How confident is your faith in God? Is it strong? Or is it wavering in the face of your storm?
Main Point: This anchor is one that’s visible not only in Paul but also in all the other passengers. They put their faith completely in God, cut loose the anchors, and hoisted the sail. You see, faith isn’t just something you say, absolute faith is something you do.
Quote
“Faith is the refusal to panic.”
-Martin Lloyd Jones
-In spite of the storm, you put your trust in God and pray for His will to be done even though you aren’t sure about the future. In spite of the storm, you take time every day to meditate on His word even though you don’t feel like it. In spite of the storm, you continue to worship Him by being part of the Church and by giving your financial support to His Work even though it is a sacrifice to do either.
-Absolute faith in the face of a storm is absolutely necessary if we are going to make it through. Every storm has the potential to push us farther away from God and the potential to draw us closer to Him than ever.
-Imagine it. Someone shouts “Land ho!” and the captain says, “Great! Let’s hit it!” And they do, even though they can hardly see where they’re going, because God promised they’d run aground on an island, and they’re sure He’s kept His word.
-Are you placing your complete faith and trust in God? Is your faith taking action and relying on Him, or are you withdrawing little by little, hoping you can make it on your own?
Conclusion/Invitation
-You cannot run from the storm. You can try to hide from it, but you’ll only end up shipwrecked. So whatever you’re going through, I challenge you: face it head on!
-We’re going to sing an old, classic hymn together this morning called “It is Well.” We sang it a couple of weeks ago as our response song, and I couldn’t think of a better song for us to sing as we respond to God today.
-Are you in the midst of a storm right now? Is your faith being tested? Have you been asking questions like “why me,” or “why now?”
-I want to challenge you to respond to what God is trying to speak into your heart and life today. We’re going to sing each verse of this song, and as we do, meditate on the words and open your heart to the peace the passes all understanding.
